Spring Chinook Salmon Fishing Update 6/10/2025: Rapid River Run, Hells Canyon, and Clearwater River Fisheries

Hi everybody. 

It is time for another weekly update for the Clearwater Region’s spring Chinook Salmon fisheries (June 10, 2025). There are multiple changes occurring to the spring Chinook Salmon fisheries this week, so be sure to read below if you plan to go fishing. Additionally, the Fish and Game Commission is meeting this Friday (June 13, 2025) to set summer Chinook Salmon seasons and decide if the season limit for Chinook Salmon should be increased to 20 fish. There is a paragraph at the end of this blog that will briefly cover these items.

HARVEST SHARES

The projected spring Chinook Salmon harvest shares for June, 10, 2025 are shown in the table below. The Clearwater River return’s harvest share is projected to be 5,043 adult fish (darker peach row); the Rapid River return (blue row) is projected to have a harvest share of 1,943 fish; and the Hells Canyon fishery (green row) is projected to have a harvest share of 673 fish. All these harvest shares are up slightly from last week due to higher-than-expected survival as these fish travel from Bonneville Dam to Lower Granite Dam. 

FISHERIES

Clearwater River Basin

Last week in the Clearwater River basin we once again documented harvest in every river code that was open and estimated that just over 1,000 fish were harvested (see table below). Catch rates varied greatly depending on where people were fishing. The best catch rates occurred in the terminal areas (around Dworshak, Clearwater, and Kooskia hatcheries) at around 6-9 hrs/fish, whereas catch rates in the pass-through fisheries (rives codes 3A-B, 4, and 7) were on the slower side (>20 hrs/fish). 

If you look at the blue portion of the table above, you will see that we are approaching our harvest distribution goals for river codes 3C and 5. These are the river codes located around Dworshak and Clearwater hatcheries. As I indicated in earlier updates, this is where we collected most of our broodstock for the Clearwater basin, and with a lower portion of the return destined for these hatcheries than we typically see, we want to ensure we don’t over harvest these fish. As such, the Director signed a closure order yesterday (June 9, 2025) that closes all salmon fishing in river codes 3C and 5 starting at the end of fishing hours this Friday (June 13, 2025). We believe that after June 13 about 40% of total harvest share will have been harvested in these two river codes and achieve their harvest distribution goals. All other river codes will remain open for at least another week. I need to mention that river code 6 (Middle Fork Clearwater River) will likely exceed its harvest distribution goal this week (10% of total harvest share). However, because a near record return of Chinook Salmon is returning to Kooskia Hatchery this year, we will continue to keep this section of river open to get at these fish.

Rapid River Return

Harvest picked considerably in the lower Salmon and little Salmon rivers last week as water conditions improved greatly (see table below). In the four days the fishery was open, we estimate that 855 adult fish were harvested with most harvest occurring in river code 11B (594 adult fish). Catch rates were good in most areas averaging about 10 hrs/fish. If you look at the blue box in the table below you will see that we have exceeded our harvest distribution goal for the lower Salmon River (55% of total harvest share) by 31 fish.  As such, the Director signed a closure order yesterday (June 9, 2025) that closed all salmon fishing in the lower Salmon River (river codes 10, 11A, and 11B) effective immediately. The remainder of the harvest (618 adult fish) will go to the Little Salmon River which will remain open for at least another week. Expectations are that the Little Salmon River will fish good this week!

Hells Canyon

We estimated that 162 adults and 38 jacks were harvested last week below Hells Canyon Dam (see table below). Catch rates were good last week at around 10 hrs/fish. Trapping will occur at Hells Canyon Dam today (June 10, 2025) which could cause catch rates to drop. However, this is the only day planned for tapping this year. With over 200 fish remaining in the harvest share, this fishery will remain open for at least another week.

COMMISSION MEETING JUNE 13, 2025

Idaho’s Fish and Game Commission will be meeting this Friday (June 13, 2025) to set summer Chinook Salmon seasons and decide whether to change the season limits for all spring and summer Chinook Salmon fisheries. Generally, the commission will be deliberating on the following proposals:

• Open the Lochsa River on June 14 to harvest of adipose clipped and unclipped Chinook Salmon.
• Open the upper Salmon River on June 19, 2025 to harvest of adipose clipped Chinook Salmon.
• Open the South Fork Salmon River on June 19, 2025 to harvest of adipose clipped Chinook Salmon.
• Change the season limit from 10 adults to 20 adults.

For details on what seasons and limits the commission adopts, the following webpage will be updated after the commission meeting. https://idfg.idaho.gov/fish/chinook/rules. Additionally, feel free to call any of the offices for updates on any new seasons and limits. 

Have a great week!